Teaching and Learning > DISCOURSE
Supporting learning and teaching in difficult times
Author: David Mossley
Journal Title: Discourse
ISSN: 2040-3674
ISSN-L:
Volume: 8
Number: 2
Start page: 4
End page: 5
Return to vol. 8 no. 2 index page
Welcome to the sixteenth issue of Discourse.
In troubled economic times higher education can quickly become a target for politically charged debate. It could, of course, be argued that this has always been the case, but when budgets are tightened and the role and value of a university education is placed under intense scrutiny many underlying assumptions about political and educational values are exposed in public and private debate. A few days before writing this editorial higher education was moved in the UK governmental hierarchy to lie within the Department for Business and Skills. It is not clear what this will mean for the wider appreciation of our disciplines and what changes will result. However, the Subject Centre for PRS, as part of the Higher Education Academy, has a role in informing policy and we intend to ensure that the disciplines we support are given the best representation in national discussions on funding, research, learning and teaching and the connections between these.
As the humanities, no less than any other area of higher education, come under pressure in competition for scarce resources, it is vital that the quality of student education remains a central concern for the academy. The UK has an internationally high standard to maintain. It has always been the aim of the Subject Centre to encourage and promote diversity, quality and innovation in subject-specific education and we will continue to do so, giving the national debate evidence that philosophy, theology, religious studies and history and philosophy of science provide students with an education that is world class. Although they are 'small' disciplines in terms of numbers their significance and value is huge because they give individuals and society the means to examine, question and form ideas about the most fundamental of issues.
In this issue we have focused on the papers from a conference on Black Theology. This is a rapidly growing and diverse area within theology itself. The enthusiasm of the conference participants was testimony to the dynamism of the debates taking place across this field. The exploration of apparent minority concerns informs the assumptions that are made across the whole of theology and this can be seen from all the papers we publish here. We are particularly pleased to include an interview with Anthony Reddie alongside his informed ideas on the nature of Black Theology teaching. We anticipate that the interest in these papers will be wide and we encourage feedback on these.
All good wishes for the summer.
Return to vol. 8 no. 2 index page
This page was originally on the website of The Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies. It was transfered here following the closure of the Subject Centre at the end of 2011.
